The Vaetra Chronicles: Book 01 - Vaetra Unveiled Read Online Free PDF

little more about you . For starters, I understand that you are official agents of some kind." She nodded as I paused. "But I still don't know who you represent."
    She glanced quickly around the room, taking in a couple of the inn's customers who were having their breakfast. Her gaze lingered on the bar area, and I looked over to see that Dela had returned to the room and was watching us closely from behind the bar as she unloaded a few bottles of wine.
    Leaning toward me conspiratorially, Agent Delano spoke quietly. "How about we talk about that on the move? I'll answer what questions I can once we are on our way. Would that be acceptable?"
    I nodded. "Alright, I can live with that." I grabbed my cloak and slipped it on.
    A bottle of wine slammed to the counter and looked over to see Dela glaring at me. I patted my coin purse in an attempt to communicate that this was about the contract. Her glare changed to a frown and then her lips drew into a thin line as she went back to rustling behind the bar. She didn't look up again.
    "Is that your wife?" Agent Delano whispered as we turned to go.
    "Uh, no," I answered under my breath. "Let's just go."
    The spring days were getting warmer, but the mornings still had a biting chill of frost to them. The sturdy linen shirt and pants I wore under my hardened leather armor would be fine after the sun had a chance to warm things up a bit. Until then, my cloak would keep off the chill and still allow me quick access to the short sword I had strapped to my waist and the dagger attached to my belt.
    Agent Delano noted my outfit and equipment as I settled my cloak on my shoulders and nodded approvingly. "Let's go," she said, and turned to lead the five of us out into the early morning light.
    ***
    I walked into the stable, shivering briefly as I adjusted to the cold morning air. Patches, my reliable horse, nickered softly in greeting and came over to the rail of his stall, snorting steam from his nostrils. Patches had pinto coloring, with brown on his neck, shoulders, and hind quarters. He had white splashed haphazardly across his face, sides and tummy. The name Patches came from two small white "knee patches" on his front legs.
    I rubbed his face and gave him a chunk of carrot I'd filched from the kitchen earlier. He munched contentedly as I saddled him up. When saddled, much of his white was covered, except for the knee patches and his underside. It amused me how everyone we met while riding instantly understood the reason for his name.
    Our fellow travelers were mounted and waiting for me when Patches and I ambled over to them. Agent Delano gave me a nod, turned her horse, and urged it into a trot without a word.
    A few folks hurried out of our way as we rode through the nearly empty streets, but most of the town was blanketed with the peaceful stillness of early morning. Only the bakery seemed fully awake; the rich smell of baking dough wafted out across the road in a thin cloud of steam that floated out of the open front door. We passed through the town's west gate and continued riding west on Riverview Road.
    Riverview Road followed the Teardrop River to the west, passing by or through small villages along the way. Eventually the road split, angling across the river and south toward Plains End as South Riverview Road and continuing west toward Silver Falls as North Riverview Road. The entire northern route was flanked by tall conifers and followed along the river at the base of steep mountain slopes and cliffs. The view often opened up to a spectacular panoramic scene of the wide river flowing through the valley. I always looked forward to traveling the north fork of the road as we would today.
    The sun angled steeply through the trees from behind us, casting our long shadows to the front and side. Where the sunlight struck the needles of frosty trees along the road, a wisp of mist rose like a tiny puff of smoke. We rode through pockets of warming air perfumed with the sharp odor of